Uniform cap



I B. BLOOM ET AL Dec. 22, 1970 UNIFORM CAP Filed Aug. 26, 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

"FIG. 5

INVENTORS BERNARD BLOOM BENJAMIN 1.5

7 ATTORNEYS Dec. 22, 1970 BLOOM ETAL 3,548,416

" UNIFORM CAP Filed Aug. 26, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS' l8 a nwmpswam 5mm M/IV 'LEV MZAM,WLZZZ; Xf/CMM ATTORNEYS- United States Patent3,548,416 UNIFORM CAP Bernard Bloom, Chicago, and Benjamin Lev, Skokie,Ill., assignors to Midway Cap Company, a corporation of Illinois FiledAug. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 755,286 Int. Cl. A42c /00 US. Cl. 2-180 1 ClaimABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A uniform cap having an annular framecomprising a band of thermoplastic sheet material joined at opposed endsby dovetail connections which interlock the ends against peripheraltension on the band. The connections are heat sealed on at least oneside of the band to prevent lateral disengagement. A stay assembly forthe cover is provided, including a stay upstanding from the frame at thecap front and a generally flat stay holder removably positioned betweenthe frame and the perspiration strip. A pair of slits are cut into theholder forming a rib in which is positioned a depending leg portion ofthe stay. Alternately, the slits may be cut directly into the plasticband.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Plastic strip material has been used on theframe for a uniform cap. This material has been joined at the rear ofthe cap to form a band by overlapping the ends and riveting or stitchingthe overlapped portion of the band to form an annular upright frame. Theoverlap has presented particular problems in that it forms a bulky ridgewhich not only is uncomfortable to the wearer, but it detracts from theappearance of the cap. In addition, the amount of overlap of the bandends is critical in determining the size of the cap. Since the overlapdoes not provide a positive means for establishing the size of the cap,a bad fit often results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of this invention is toprovide a new and improved uniform cap construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved interlocked,sealed butt joint for thermoplastic sheet material.

A further object of this invention is to provide a uniform cap having athermoplastic band-like frame with a butt joint as set forth in thepreceding paragraph connecting opposed ends of the band to form theframe.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a butt joint of thecharacter described which includes dovetail connections along theopposed edges of the thermoplastic sheet material for engagement at ajoint to interlock the ends of the band against peripheral tension atthe joint, and a heat seal along the joint to prevent disengagement ofthe interlocked dovetail connections.

Yet a further object of this invention is the provision of a flangemolded integral with the thermoplastic frame band about the top thereofand extending outwardly therefrom for receiving a removable cover on theframe.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved stayassembly which comprises a stay upstanding from the frame at the frontof the cap and having a depending leg portion, and a generally flat stayholder removably positioned between the frame and a perspiration strip,the holder having slits therein forming a rib for receiving thedepending leg portion of the stay.

In an alternate form of the invention, the slits forming the rib forreceiving the leg portion of the stay are cut directly into thethermoplastic frame band.

Further features and advantages of the inventon will be apparent fromthe following description and from the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a uniformcap of the general type to which the invention relates, and embodyingthe interlocked, sealed butt joint of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial elevation, on an enlarged scale, looking at the rearof the cap shown in FIG. 1 to illustrate the butt joint of thisinvention;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a uniform cap, with the flexiblecover removed to better illustrate the supporting stay and receivingmeans of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a section taken generally along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section taken generally along the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 3 Ii)l1lustrating amodified form of a supporting stay assem- FIG. 7 is a section takengenerally along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an elevation view looking to the left in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The features of this invention areillustrated as embodied in a conventional uniform cap, generallydesignated 10 in FIG. 1. The cap includes an endless frame, generallydesignated 12, which optionally may be covered with a flexible cover 14.In the embodiment illustrated, the endless frame 12 includes a thinrigid band 16 which, for esthetic purposes, is covered with a decorativeouter covering 18 made of cloth, fiber or like materials. The rigidframe band 16 is made of thermoplastic sheet mate! ria Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, one feature of this invention is the provision of amethod and means of forming an interlocked, sealed butt joint, generallydesignated 20, for connecting the opposed ends of the thermoplasticframe band 16. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawings, the opposed ends of the frame band 16 are formed withmating dovetail connections 22 which, when engaged, interlock the endsof the band 16 against peripheral tension in the direction of arrow A(FIG. 2). It has been found that such dovetail connections provide asmuch or more strength when using thermoplastic material as if the endsof the bands were overlapped and stapled or stitched. It should be notedthat although the dovetail connections are the preferred interlockingmeans any appropriate complementary interengaging surfaces cut into theopposed ends of the thermoplastic frame band 16 can be used. Referringto FIG. 2, after the dovetail connections of the opposed ends of theframe band 16 are interlocked as shown, the joint formed thereby is thenheat sealed, as indicated at 24, on at least one side of the frame bandand preferably completely covering the dovetail connections to preventrelative lateral movement of the interlocked ends of the band andthereby prevent disengagement of the connections.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, another feature of the invention is shown tocomprise a rigid stay 26 which has a depending leg portion 28 positionedunder a rib 30 former by a pair of slits 32 cut into the thermoplasticframe band 16. The slits 32 are cut into the frame band at the front ofthe cap so that the stay 26 upstands from the frame of the cap at thefront thereof to hold the front of the flexible cover 14 in an erectedposition.

Referring particularly to FIG. 6, a stay assembly is provided forutilization with caps not already provided with slits 32 in the frameband 16. The assembly includes a stay 26' having a depending leg portion28', and a stay holder 34 in the form of a substantially fiat platefabricated of thermoplastic or like rigid material with slits 36 cut inthe plate 34 to form a rib 38 for holding the depending leg portion 28'of the stay 26'. Most conventional uniform caps include a perspirationstrip 40 about the interior of the frame and secured to the frame band16 adjacent the lower edge of the perspiration strip, as by stitching.The stay assembly (comprising the stay 26' and the stay holder 34) isassembled to the cap simply by inserting the holder 34 between theperspiration strip 40 and the frame band 16. The flat stay holder isheld by the frame band and the perspiration strip to maintain the stay26' in an upright position at the front of the cap. This embodiment isparticularly useful when the decorative outer covering 18 for the frameband 16 is not used and it would be undesirable to cut slits directlyinto the frame band.

Another feature of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and includesa flange 42 molded integrally with the thermoplastic frame band 16 andextending outwardly therefrom for receiving an elastic, removable coveron the frame.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in theart.

We claim:

1. A uniform cap, comprising: a continuous frame extending about the capand including an annular band of thermoplastic material having a topedge, a bottom edge, inner and outer faces and opposite ends, aninterlocked heat sealed butt joint fusing and thereby connecting saidopposite ends, the butt joint extending generally through the faces andsubstantially between the top and bottom edges and includingcomplementary interengaging surfaces at opposed ends for engagement tointerlock said ends against peripheral tension on the band at said jointwith the joint being smooth and cross-sectional thickness of the band inthe area of the joint being the same as the the cross-sectionalthickness of the remainder of the band, and a seal along said jointformed only of the material of the adjacent portion of the band, toprevent lateral disengagement of the interlocked ends of the band.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 222,233 12/ 1 879 Bracher 2181405,417 6/1889 Keator 2181X 2,576,690 11/1951 Maniglia 2-185 2,974,5663/1961 Hurley 1 6-306X 3,420,731 1/1969 Kuhn 156-306 1,631,210 6/1927Johnson 2209.3X 2,144,831 1/1939 Burns. 2,445,230 7/ 1948 Mattsson etal. 2-195 2,672,616 3/1954 Lev 2-195 FOREIGN PATENTS 319,416 9/ 1929Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner G. H. K-RIZMANICH, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 161107

